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CAIRO— Police and security forces in Egypt -- reeling from a string of deadly violence Friday -- are bracing for more trouble Saturday, as the country marks the third anniversary of the uprising that toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

At least 20 people died Friday across Egypt, including at least six police killed in Cairo. Authorities say the remaining deaths occurred in clashes among Islamist protesters, their secular opponents and police. Thousands from the same rival groups are expected to rally Saturday in Cairo, as well as in other major cities.

The 2011 Arab Spring uprising that swept through large parts of the Middle East raised hopes in Egypt for a stable democracy in the Arab world's largest nation. Instead, the country has been mired in political turmoil, as Islamist backers of ousted president Mohamed Morsi battle to regain control of the country from the military-backed government that drove him from power.

At least four blasts Friday rattled Cairo, including a suicide car bombing near a security compound.

There were no immediate claims of responsibility, although Islamist militants have been blamed for a number of such attacks since the military ousted the Morsi government and arrested the former president last July.

A spokesman for interim President Adly Mansour condemned the violence. He said “such terrorist operations that seek to break the will of Egyptians” will only unify them.

Meanwhile, supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi and the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood clashed with security forces and civilians during protests in several cities on Friday. Officials said at least 10 people died in that unrest.

The violence came one day before the nation marks the third anniversary of the uprising against longtime leader Hosni Mubarak, which began on National Police Day.

Following the explosions Friday, Egyptian media reported that authorities plan to block Tahrir Square through Sunday. Opposition groups, both secular activists and the Muslim Brotherhood, had said they were planning peaceful protests to mark the anniversary.

Divisions have deepened over the possibility that the next president could be another military strongman, de-facto leader General Abdel Fatah el Sissi. Security was on high alert even before the blasts.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks. There were unconfirmed reports that the jihadist group Ansar Beit al Maqdis, which derides the Brotherhood for lack of militancy, had sent a warning to officials before the blasts occurred..

Anti-government protesters and members of the Muslim Brotherhood flee after tear gas was fired by riot police during clashes on Ramsis Street, near Tahrir Square, Cairo, Jan. 25, 2014.

An antiquities restoration worker moves broken glass at the Egyptian National Library and Archives, which was damaged by a car bomb attack targeting the nearby Cairo Security Directorate, Cairo, Jan. 26, 2014.

The Sinai-based militants have claimed responsibility for other attacks in recent months, including a failed assassination attempt on the nation's interior minister and the bombing of a police station in the Nile Delta that left 16 people dead.

Ansar Beit al Maqdis is among several jihadi groups who have escalated attacks against security and military targets since the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi last year.

Public suspicion immediately fell on Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, with crowds chanting death to the group outside police headquarters. The building was heavily damaged by the blast, as was the Museum of Islamic Art across the street.

The Brotherhood has denounced previous such attacks, but the government blamed them for the Nile Delta bombing, and declared the group a terrorist organization.

Little hard evidence has been presented to link the Brotherhood and the jihadists.

Once built, Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge will span 2 kilometers with about 1.5 kilometers over water, and will be longest suspension bridge in world carrying rail system More

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by: Godwin from: Nigeria

January 25, 2014 6:07 AM

Thank God for little mercies. The many attacks and terrorist revelations have vindicated Hosni Mubarak for the very long tenure in office. While he sat on the keg of gunpowder called Muslim Brotherhood, Egyptians did not understand what he was doing for them. In power they are dragons asking for citizens blood; out of power they are terrorists and man-eaters. From happenings right now in the country, it is obvious that handling the group is like trying to eat spaghetti with a spoon. It denounces violence, at the same time it preaches and breeds violence. Its offshoot - Hamas - has not allowed one free day without firing rockets into Israel and planning all sorts of violence. They are not happy until they see blood. Therefore celebrating the ousting of Hosni Mubarak is a mad idea; for it's a celebration of violence and absence of peace. Well, it may well be, because violence, Muslim Brotherhood and its religion mean one and the same thing - cacophony.

by: ali baba from: new york

January 24, 2014 5:59 PM

from the video, the young man who is talking, he is very upset and said in Arabic that the Gov. has to get tough .the country is in critical condition and need help from the west to cut all Financial support of terrorism .The euro pen country and us has to impose sanction against turkey and expel it from NATO . it is not of the best interest of west and US that a civil war erupted in Egypt because the terrorist are blooded people and they are continuing until the country is destroyed for the sake of Islam.

by: Nazarene from: USA

January 24, 2014 1:28 PM

now that Iran is cuddling the venomous degeneracy of the Muslim Brotherhood, we are going to see Egypt make Syria look like a Sunday picnic... and it all started from the Sinai... how ironic... here Egypt extorted the Sinai from Israel (with our help, i should add) and here the Sinai became ashes in the Egyptians mouths... and you thought that there is no God...

by: archlingua from: Guatemala City, Guatemala

January 24, 2014 9:23 AM

Egypt must stand firm against sectarian terrorism; Jihadists want a totalitarian regime in which all must conform to their extremist view of religious Sharia, instead of a moderate and modern democratic nation within which all can practice their chosen religious beliefs.

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